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The actors of Hollywood's Golden Age knew how to have fun, and they brought their hi-jinks and good times to 1981's 'The Cannonball Run.' The movie followed a group of car racing outlaws in a cross-country race. It was based on an actual race, the Cannonball Baker Sea to Shining Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, organized to protest the nation's then new 55 mph speed limit. Critics panned the movie but it was a commercial success, with many of Hollywood's greatest stars making it their final film appearance. Click through to see the big names behind 'The Cannonball Run' and where they are today.![Burt Reynolds Then]()
The son of a police chief, Burt was a football star in high school. But his college football career was cut short by injuries his freshman year. Burt's professor Warren Duncan III encouraged him to try out for a school play. Burt got the lead role, and his performance won him the 1956 Florida State Drama Award. He spent the following summer studying acting in New York City and performing on stage, earning stellar reviews. More acting roles came Burt's way, and the rest is history. Before 'The Cannonball Run,' he appeared in films like 'The Longest Yard' and 'Smokey and the Bandit.' Already a Hollywood star, Burt brought together his friends and fellow actors to have some fun making 'The Cannonball Run.'![Burt Reynolds Now]()
Burt has never lacked for acting roles - in fact, he turned down Jack Nicholson's Oscar-winning role in 'Terms of Endearment' and refused an offer to play James Bond. But his extravagant lifestyle and expensive divorce from Loni Anderson forced him to file for bankruptcy in 1996. Burt's career has since made a comeback, with roles in 'Boogie Nights,' a re-make of 'The Longest Yard,' and 'The Dukes of Hazzard.' His newest film, 'Not Another Not Another Movie,' comes out this year. He won the Crystal Reel Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002. Burt has been involved with a number of Hollywood leading ladies, including high-profile actresses Dinah Shore and Sally Field. His two brief marriages both ended in divorce. He has one adopted son, 21-year-old Quinton.![Roger Moore Then]()
Roger was a star long before 'The Cannonball Run.' His role as Simon Templar in 'The Saint' made the British actor a household name, and 'The Cannonball Run' was shot in the middle of his 12-year stint as James Bond - his best-known role.![Roger_Moore_Now]()
Roger's friend Michael Caine quipped that Roger "can't get a job" since he finished playing James Bond in 1985. Roger has in fact done little acting since, instead working as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. In 2009 he officially confirmed his acting retirement. Roger has been married four times. He is currently married to Danish-Swedish multimillionaire Kiki Tholstrup (pictured).![Farrah_Fawcett_Then]()
Farrah's role in 'The Cannonball Run' was only the latest in her string of successes. The Texas beauty had formerly played Jill Munroe on 'Charlie's Angels,' and a 1976 pin-up poster of her wearing a red bathing suit sold over 8 million copies.![Farrah Fawcett (1947 - 2009)]()
After 'The Cannonball Run,' Farrah took on more serious roles in movies like 'The Burning Bed' and 'The Apostle.' Farrah divorced her first husband, Lee Majors, in 1982, and never re-married. She then dated actor Ryan O'Neal for 17 years, and the two had a son, Redmond O'Neal. After their break-up, she dated producer James Orr, but cut off all communication with him after he severely beat her, allegedly for refusing his marriage proposal. Farrah got back together with Ryan O'Neal in 2001, and the two remained a couple until her death from cancer on June 25, 2009, at age 62.![Dom DeLuise Then]()
Dom first earned the public's notice with his comical role in a Doris Day film, 'The Glass Bottom Boat.' The Italian-American actor came to be known for his hilarious comedic roles. Dom plays the comical villain 'Captain Chaos' in 'The Cannonball Run.' He went on to co-star with Burt Reynolds in several other films.![Dom DeLuise (1933 - 2009)]()
Dom appeared in a string of Mel Brooks flicks and even performed opera, with a recurring comic role in 'Die Fledermaus' at New York's Metropolitan Opera House. Dom married Carol Arthur in 1965. The two had three sons and remained happily married until his death in 2009.![Dean_Martin_Then]()
One of the most beloved entertainers of his time, Dean Martin was a true American success story, working his way up from a teenage drop-out and prizefighter to 'The King of Cool' as a member of the famed Rat Pack with Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr. Before 'The Cannonball Run,' Dean had already sang, danced, and acted his way into his status as an American legend.![Dean Martin (1917 - 1995)]()
'The Cannonball Run' and 'The Cannonball Run II' were his last film appearances. Dean lives on in his music. Many of his songs, like 'That's Amore,' 'You're Nobody 'Til Someone Loves You' and 'On An Evening in Roma,' are still hugely popular today. Dean married three times, with a total of eight children from these marriages. He died in 1995.![Sammy Davis, Jr. Then]()
Raised by his father, a vaudeville star, Sammy was a born performer. His membership in the famed ‘Rat Pack’ with Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop helped to break down racial barriers in the 1950s and 1960s. One of Sammy’s proudest achievements was ending racial segregation at nightclubs and hotels in Las Vegas, Hollywood, and Miami Beach. Sammy, already a Hollywood legend, made 'The Cannonball Run' one of his last film appearances.![Jack_Elam_Then]()
Originally an accountant and hotel manager, Jack traded his accounting services for a film role, launching himself into an incredible acting career. A childhood injury left Jack with one sightless, off-kilter eye – and he embraced the look and made it his acting trademark.![Jack Elam (1920 -2003)]()
Villains and sharpshooters in Westerns or gangster films were Jack Elam’s specialty, despite his real-life lovable personality. Jack remarried after his first wife died, and remained with his second wife until his death in 2003.![Adrienne Barbeau Then]()
Adrienne got her start as a dancer in a Mafia-run New York bar, then appeared on Broadway in ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ and as Rizzo in ‘Grease.’ She moved to TV acting in shows like ‘Maude’ and ‘The Love Boat.’ Before her appearance as Marcie ‘The Lamborghini Babe’ Thatcher in ‘The Cannonball Run,’ Adrienne was already known as a pin-up girl and horror-film actress in ‘The Fog’ and ‘Escape From New York.’![Adrienne Barbeau Now]()
Adrienne’s kept busy since ‘The Cannonball Run.’ She earned the title ‘B-movie Queen’ for her numerous appearances in made-for-TV movies. Adrienne has been married to Billy Van Zandt since 1992, and in 1997, she gave birth to twins at age 51. She released her memoir, ‘There Are Worse Things I Could Do,’ in 2006, and published a second book, ‘Vampyres of Hollywood,’ in 2008.![Terry_Bradshaw_Then]()
Raised in Louisiana as the second of three sons, Terry Bradshaw is best known for his four Super Bowl wins as quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He appeared in three of his friend Burt Reynolds’ films during his football career, including playing himself in ‘The Cannonball Run.’![Terry_Bradshaw_Now]()
Terry retired from football two years after ‘The Cannonball Run.’ Since then, he’s appeared in a number of TV episodes and in the 2006 movie ‘Failure to Launch.’ Terry considers himself a devout Christian. His three marriages have all ended in divorce. He has two daughters with his third wife, Charlotte.![Jackie Chan Then]()
Born and raised in China, Jackie did poorly in school as a child, so his parents instead sent him to the China Drama Academy to train in acting and martial arts. Jackie began appearing in small film roles as a teen. Jackie was still relatively unknown when he appeared in ‘The Cannonball Run.’ Cast as a Subaru driver, Jackie barely used his growing martial arts skills.![Jackie Chan Now]()
When martial arts hero Bruce Lee died in 1973, Hollywood began searching for his replacement. But Jackie refused to live in Lee’s shadow. Instead of imitating Lee’s stern honor, Jackie combined action with goofy comedy – a unique combination that made Jackie a star. Today Jackie is a worldwide martial arts icon, who almost always performs his own impressive stunts. Jackie has been married to Feng-Jiao Lin since 1982, and they have one child. He cares deeply about charity work, funding a number of schools and serving as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.![Bert Convy Then]()
Bert liked to tell a story from his days at the UCLA film school: “The dean told the 500 of us, 'if you are very, very lucky, one of you will make his living in this business . . . one!' I remember walking out, feeling sorry for the other 499.” Bert’s confidence and charm won him a successful show biz career, from his early days singing with ‘The Cheers’ band in the 1950s to making movies and hosting talk shows. He was already a household name by the time he appeared in ‘The Cannonball Run,’ his last feature film.![Bert Convy (1933 - 1991)]()
After ‘The Cannonball Run,’ Bert kept busy with plenty of TV appearances. In 1987 he began divorce proceedings from Anne Anderson, the mother of his three children and his wife of nearly thirty years. In 1990 Bert collapsed suddenly while visiting his mother, and learned at the hospital that he had a brain tumor and very little time left to live. He asked Anne to finalize the divorce so that he could die married to his new girlfriend, 25-year-old Catherine Hills. He married Catherine in February 1991 and died five months later.![Jamie_Farr_Then]()
Born Jameel Farah to Lebanese-American parents in Toledo, Ohio, Jamie Farr worked his way up from Wonder Bread commercials to an 11-year run as Corporal Klinger on the popular TV series M*A*S*H – one of only two actors on the series who actually served in the army. In ‘The Cannonball Run,’ Jamie plays an Arabic sheik, Burt Reynold’s racing rival.![Jamie_Farr_Now]()
Jamie hasn't lacked for work since 'The Cannonball Run,' appearing regularly on TV and film. He once said, “I haven't been out of work, literally since M*A*S*H went out of production.” An LPGA gold tournament, the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic, is named for Jamie. He has two children, Jonas and Yvonne, with his wife of forty-seven years, Joy Ann Richards.![Peter Fonda Then]()
Son of Hollywood legend Henry Fonda and little brother of Jane, Peter got his start on TV and in the film ‘Tammy and the Doctor’ – which he jokingly called ‘Tammy and the Schmuckface’ – before going on to appear in popular films like ‘The Wild Angels.’ Peter's career took a dive when he was arrested for anti-war protesting in 1966, but the motorcycle odyssey movie ‘Easy Rider’ made Peter a counter-cultural icon. He reprised that role as the ‘Chief Biker’ in ‘The Cannonball Run.’![Peter_Fonda_Now]()
Since ‘The Cannonball Run,’ Peter’s career has seen one success after another. He earned an Oscar nomination for ‘Ulee’s Gold’ in 1997. His recent hits include 2007’s ‘3:10 to Yuma’ and 2009’s ‘The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day.’ He will appear in five films coming out in 2010 and 2011. Peter divorced Susan Brewer, with whom he has two children, in 1974. He has been married to Portia Rebecca Crockett (pictured) since 1975.Then/Now: The 'Cannonball Run' Cast
Illegal car races, Lamborghini babes, and a pair of Ferrari-driving priests - this 1981 screwball comedy has it all. Click through to see what the all-star cast has done since 'The Cannonball Run.'
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- Then/Now: The 'Cannonball Run' Cast
